Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-23
THE TERRIBLE rELIsITE.
An Explosive with Ten Times the
Power OF Nlfro-fsIyccriuc.


4 Peris letter says The one nbjec
Of supreme interest among military
men lust now * the new explosive nell
r..c, al ont which little except its won
dcr'sl distinctive power is known, and
which is, therefore, naturally fruitful
theme for discussion. The centre of
French artillery operations now is at
Bourecs, where the new explosive il
being manufactured for experiment
tai purposes. Bourges has taken
the place Of Metz and Strasburg. 1t is
here that experiments are going on
without ceasng, and a corps of distin
puishod officers are seeking a solution
10 the problem how to kill at single
stroke as many men as possible. lisa
frichiful problem, which science should
solve as speedily as possible, for th,re
Is good reason 10 hope that the solution
VIII prove the ending Of all wars-war5
which had some Of the elements OF
chiyalry a century ago, hut have be
come hideous since chemistry has taken
q hand in them.
The two men who discovered the
principles Of melnite are Captains Lo-
card and HirOndart, who ere attached TO
the gun-factory at Bourgcs. As a re-
ward for their invention Vi. Locard has
been promoted to the rank Of major,
and Vi. fiirondart has been decorated.
Major LOcard is regarded as savant OF
the fr4t rank. Scarcely any Of his
time is given to the routine OF military
service. but he devotes himself con
SANITY to the technical studies of the
service. He is more of chemist and
inventor than soldier. His latest dis
coyery, in connection with Captain Hi
rondari, is this destuctivep powder, which
has been christenod melinite, because III
color it resembles honey, CWi)
Following the first experiments with
the substance, which were made mt La
Fcrc, works for testing the invention
have been pushed actively at Bourges
Three small fonts have recn con-
siIucted TO try the effect Of the new
shells charged with mcGuite. The
forts. which have been finished several
DAYS, look somewhat Ike truncatad
pyramids. Two are of cOncretn and
pebbles. and the third, which is the
iorgcst. is Of asphalt and sick. u j.
u meters about 30 feet square nc thc
lasc, . meters (nemlv 10 feet high,
and cost 81, OO0f (about 1900 The
other tWocOsttOgcther lG. G00f., OrabOut
5000. 1t is predicted that the meh-
mite VIII destroy these works, soGdly-
built as they are Of eXtIa-hard materials,
in less time than it takes 20 WRIT H.
Daily experiments have been made on
q small scale, and their result has been
so satisfactory that wagon-loads of ma
tcrials for manufacturing the new OK
plosiye are arriving at Bourges daily
Ether is one of the principal ingrc-
dicnts of the powder, and, as the pro-
duction Of this is only about 100, 200
Kilograms annually III France, Minister
HoulaEgCr has his agents ont buying
ether wherever they can find if, AMI
some has been purchased in Germany
sor the manufacture Of the shells which
are expected 20 be some day u.s..
against the forces OF that empire.
10 launch the shells charged with
mclintc no special design Uf mortar IS
required. General Rouian9er has de
cidtd on the immediate manufacture 81
re, Gee mclnhtc prajcc;ilos, which wi
IcIcady by suriug, int the shells d..
10 lc made at Lyons end E.ye-de-hier.
instead Of HourGcs. When they mc
ready ior charging they VIII he trans
poltcd to Bourges. and there the melt
mite viii be introduced. Bouiangcr OK
plains his action in this matter by
Stating that the Government has work
shops at Lyons an ready for producing
the shells, and that hc will save 8JO,pJ
francs 10y having them made there. The
melinitc is being manufactured Mt
Bourges as fast as possible, under the
supervision OF It's discoycrcrs.
The destructive power of the new
explosive is reported 10 be 100 times
that Of ordinary Gunpowder, or ten
times that Of nitro-gIycerlne. IN or
dinarE shell, falling on tine roof Of IL
building. bursts and skaters every
thing in It's immediate vicinity. The
mclinitc shell is intended to strike tn"
ground at the foundations of the build
inc. and once there 1t eXplOdCs ana
shoots everything into the air, reducing
beams and joists 10 an almost lmpalpa-
BE powder
I'm the mean time, while the manu-
facture Of histerrible explosive is going
ON. it, inventors are experimenting with
a new nAe-powder which cNploies with
out making any smoke, and which Wilt
enable "a body OF infantry 10 fire on the
enemy from cover without bctraUnG
their position 10y clouds OF smoke. The
chemists are developing into wholesale
sauchtcris Of men, and when the
time comes as it apparently will come
that general 10y blowing whistle can
opniLilate 10000 OF the enemy, cover
ing the Of several leagues, the theory
of universal peace, founded on whole
sale massacre at a distance, wll b,
Irotty nearly demonstrated.
Among the stories winch are amu,in-
| tie Pmusians Just uo1-aEd 1t Is par
of the duty Of the daily press to im
nish amusing stories, even at the sler-
fee of space needed kor ncws-is ON"
told OF the frueality of IT, famous Ger
man General Nou Noitke. The Incl
Gent is placed rs occurring during the
siege Of Paris 10y the German forces.
Won Moltkc uscd to soften ihe ngors Of
war by occasionally giving little din
ner party, and TO one Of these he hal
invited FIVE gentlemen. The cover
were laid for six, but one of the cx-
pcctcd was unable 20 appear. anl sent
his regrets. VonfIoltke, it is related
mpon receiving the note hurried OF In
person 10 the pastry-coo1's establish
nent and notified the presiding genius
of the place to send bat five ociqirS IN
stead OF six, as had been ordered. Tn
story Of German economy is told with
great gusto and laughed at heartily IN
the cQt,s and clubs.
"Reminiscences of LOngfciiON.
4 Naples correspondent of the Lon